Wonders Do Come from Blunders (Sermon)‘Artist James Hubbell says, “Mistakes are gifts.” Whenever he’s working on a project and something goes wrong, he doesn’t start over. He looks for a way to use the mistake to make something better. None of us can avoid making blunders, and all of us have favorite ways of dealing with them. We may try to hide them or to correct them or to apologize for them.We do that with our sin sometimes too. But God doesn’t throw us away and start over. He redeems us and makes us better.’Our Daily Breadhttp://odb.org/2012/07/20/blunders-to-wonders/

Wonders do come from blundersIf only we surrenderTo Alpha and OmegaAnd make Him our All-Lover.

Blunders can turn to wondersIf we know it’s not overUntil Jesus Christ says soDespite the taunts of the foe.

Mistakes can turn miraclesBegin a glorious cycleWith Author and FinisherEnthroned as the Miracle Worker.

So stop condemning yourselfConfess to redeem yourselfPray for the grace to serve HimAnd for the grace to please Him.

Even though aged, he was usedAlthough he had to be bruisedHe was mighty in God’s HandsOn their way to Promised Land.

St. Paul was a murdererLike member of the Mafia.But God touched him and turned him;Made him a trophy for Him.

Mark was seen as a quitterGod turned him into a winner.He bounced back from being failureTo one who was fully cured.

The prodigal son rebelledTook his estate and squandered;Made a terrible mistakeBut his dad did not forsake.

Jonah ran away, blunderedRefusing to preach as orderedBut God gave him a second chanceThere was a great repentance.

Peter

He was gregarious, zealous, impetuous- very forward. Many a times he put his feet in his mouth. He asked many questions through which many lessons emanated. However he was also very proud and thought Jesus was lucky to have him on his team and so he bragged that if all the disciples should disown Jesus and forsake him, he should count him out. He did not know his limitation. Jesus knew him through and through and told him: 31 And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."33 But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."34 Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me." Luke22:30-34Peter was overconfident in himself and we know what happened when push came to shove; he denied the Lord three times. Peter was lived, devastated, could not believe that he could deny the Lord, not just once or twice but THREE times in quick succession.

67 And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You also were with Jesus of Nazareth."68 But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you are saying." And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed.69 And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, "This is one of them."70 But he denied it again. And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, "Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it."71 Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know this Man of whom you speak!"72 A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times." And when he thought about it, he wept. Mark14:67-72Matt16:21-23, Mark 14:50-72, John21:15-19, Acts2:14-41

Mark was a faithful servant and so was his mother. However there was an occasion where he was forced to attend to another business and was not able to follow Paul on a missionary journey. Paul was not happy about it and thought it was over for Mark. He wanted to exclude Mark because of that incident. Barnabas-the son of consolation, was more understanding and wanted to give Mark a second chance but Paul vehemently opposed it. The disagreement was so fierce that it led to Paul Parting company with Barnabas. Paul took Silas and Barnabas took Mark.In the end we see that even Paul confessed that Mark was profitable to him and wanted him around, valued his ministry and contribution to the work of the Lord.

The Second chance that Barnabas gave Mark caused him to bounce back and be profitable even to Paul. Mark also went on to write the gospel of Mark and made his mark, left an indelible mark for eternity.Some people may write you off, but God has not written you off. God will send you a Barnabas to encourage you not to see yourself as a failure because of some previous mistake or misunderstood incidence. God still has room for you if you have room for Him.Mark: Acts12:12,25, Acts15:36-40, 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry.2Tim4:11, 23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers.Phile24You too will be very useful in God’s hands if you surrender your blunder to Him.

Paul:Acts9: 1 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"5 And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" Then the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads."6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" Then the Lord said to him, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."Acts9:1-6,9 "Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.10 This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.11 And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities. 12 "While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,-26:6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. 2Tim4:6-8

Yes, Paul who murdered the disciples, wreaked havoc on the Church, cast his votes against those who were being killed, obtained warrants to torture and imprison the saints, compelling them to blaspheme, was transform by God into a champion and hero of the Church and used to write best-sellers of all time. The murderer was changed into a saint and used to build churches and made a trophy in God’s hands, a jewel in the crown of the Church. God can use you too regardless of your past blunders and mistakes and sins. Put them in His miracle working hands and see what He can do with your life.

Moses: 10 And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. So she called his name Moses, saying, "Because I drew him out of the water." 11 Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren.12 So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.13 And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, "Why are you striking your companion?"14 Then he said, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" So Moses feared and said, "Surely this thing is known!"15 When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well.16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. And they came and drew water, and they filled the troughs to water their father's flock.17 Then the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.18 When they came to Reuel their father, he said, "How is it that you have come so soon today?"19 And they said, "An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and he also drew enough water for us and watered the flock."20 So he said to his daughters, "And where is he? Why is it that you have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread."21 Then Moses was content to live with the man, and he gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses.22 And she bore him a son. He called his name Gershom, for he said, "I have been a stranger in a foreign land."23 Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.Ex2

1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.2 And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed.3 Then Moses said, "I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn."4 So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am."5 Then He said, "Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground."6 Moreover He said, "I am the God of your father --- the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.7 And the LORD said: "I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.8 So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites.9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.10 Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt."11 But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?"Ex3

Moses was another man of God who started his ministry as a murder. Yes, he was impatient and ran ahead of God like many of us. He was very zealous and identified with his people despite the fact that Pharaoh’s daughter took him as her son. This privilege did not blind him to his vision. His zeal led to a murder which caused him to flee for fear that his life was in danger. Wandering in a foreign land as a fugitive, he married and was resigned to being a shepherd until he was 80, considered past his sell-by date.

But when he had exhausted his strength and thought ministry was over, God showed up to say it was time for a New Beginning, a New Visitation, a New Unction. And although Moses gave excuses upon excuses, God encouraged him to believe in Him and in himself once again and take the second wind, the second chance. Moses did and we know what happened.God used Moses to wrought incredible miracles- the 10 plagues, parting of the Red Sea, River Jordan, Bitter water made sweet, Looking at bronze serpent brought healing, water came out of a rock manna fell from heaven etcHe successfully handed over to Joshua, who took the children of Israel into the Promised Land. If God can do such mighty things from a man who began his ministry with blundering as a murderer He can turn your blunders around to His glory.

It is not over, my friend until Jesus says so. Regardless of the past failure, it does not make you a failure. Put the past in God’s hands and watch what He will do with it. Take the second wind and sail to glory. Take the second chance and be a Good Success to the glory of God.

The Prodigal SonYes, he blew it with his hot head and rebellion, squandered all his inheritance on booze, gambling, drugs, alcohol, partying, fair weather friends, women, sex, the latest gadget etc and became broke busted and disgusted but after hitting rock bottom he came to his senses and returned to his father who was waiting for him, looking out the window daily wondering when his son would come back home. God is waiting for you too if you have wondered away and squandered your inheritance and have hit rock bottom.

Be wise and return to your heavenly Father, today. Confess: ‘I am sorry, Lord. Forgive me of my sins.’ God will forgive you and restore you. The goodness of God leads us to repentance. ‘He who comes to me I will in no wise cast away.’

Talking of rebels, Jonah was another rebel. When told to go and preach to the people of Nineveh, he thought he was smart and went another way, trying to escape from God. You can run but you can’t hide. God sees everything and He is everywhere. Jonah found out the hard way when the ship he boarded was bombarded with a fierce storm because of Jonah, and Jonah was sensitive enough to know that it was because of his disobedience.Those on board the ship found out that he was running from God and he told them to throw him into the sea to end their dilemma which they did and to their amazement the storm stopped.

However, God did not abandon Jonah. He prepared a fish to swallow him and when Jonah came to his senses and repented, God gave him a second chance to go and preach. Jonah took the opportunity with both hands and the people of Nineveh repented- his mission was accomplished.

Jonah repented and was given a second chance which he used to finish his reason for being. You too can repent and bounce back to finish your reason for being. God is waiting for you to come back home and receive your second wind and second chance.

Despite the Fierce Wind

Despite the fierce windMy worship will not waneI will praise and He will raiseRegardless of the calamityAnd the adversityComing is maturityAnd prosperity.

The river will not drownThe fire will not burn.The furnace will refineAnd recharge my batteryFor coming victory.A new anointingA new unction.

I rebelled,wandered, wanted my RepublicLike Fela’s Kalakuta.Went far awaySquandered Dad's doshInheritance on danceBooze, cruise, shoesDrugs, fags, alcoholSex, fast cars, gadgets.You name it, I wanted it.I had fair weather friends.They flocked aroundAnd they fleeced me like sheep, for my wool,For my goods;Licked me dry-Dry to the bones.I was a tooland such a fool.It looked coolTill the party was over.And they all fledAs I bled;Hungry, angryHaggard, beggarlyLived on Lonely RoadNext to Disgruntled StreetBefore I came to my senses.

I must go back homeTo my FatherAnd pleaded, 'I have sinned!Take me as your servant.'

Backslidden forgivenA New SeasonA New DayNew Beginning A Second ChanceA Second WindHealed from the pastBlast from the Past Out of the valleyAnd the alleyNooks and cranniesNo more hidingFrom God runninglike Adam and EveLike Jonah oldLike Peter gone coldLike Laodeceans Like EphesusLike Sardis

Into God’s ArmAnd comfortBack in the FamilyBack from Bondageof principalities.Back from hell.

Confessed my sinHidden deep within.Now washed, made cleanWhiter than snowHis love bestowedGiven righteous robeCelebrated, restoredLike the prodigal sonRing is on my fingerMusic is playedMerry making is hereJubilation unbelievableFather is delightedSon is elatedHoly Spirit is excitedOil is pouredOver my head.Fear is goneLove has come

Peter was not crossed off All because of the CrossJesus still believed in himAffirmed and restored him.Why? There is life after deathBecause of the ResurrectionAnd the Life, Preeminent One.The dead can rise again.Dead dreams can live again.

Prayer:Father, I thank You this day That the blunderer can bounce backInto the fold from the cold,Because the dead can live again;Because Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life.

Thank You, Lord, thatThe outcast can come back in, Forgiven and washed clean,Because You are a forgiving God;Because You are a loving God.

For, as far as the East is from the West,So far You have removed my sin from me.And as higher as the heavens are above the earth So great is Your love for me.

He who denied You thrice Was affirmed and restored thrice,And this refuelled, rechargedThe blunderer to bounce backOn the Day of Pentecost,And preach a sermon, so powerful,That over 3000 people were saved.

Lord, in the same wayMy mistakes will be turned into miracles.You will use my messes to bring messages of HopeMy failures will not exclude meFrom the commonwealth of promise.Yes, even blunderers can bounce back,In the Name of Jesus. I shall bounce back in Jesus’ name.

Joseph after dreaming was thrown into the pitMaligned, imprisonedForgotten, but he bounced back.As he trusted You.

Jacob ran from pillar to postBut he bounced backFrom being a schemer, Wheeler and dealer and Conn man to Prince with God.

Paul was a murderer,Mafia man, yet you used himMightily to build your churchAnd write best-sellers.

Abraham against all hope And the deadness of Sarah’s wombbelieved in the God of Hopeand bounced back after a period of unbelief.I shall bounce backTo the glory of God.

You gave Abraham laughter- IsaacIn his old age when they said he had Passed his sell-by date.

My great laughter is coming!Even in my old age.I may laugh lastBut I will laugh bestIn the name of Jesus!

Thank You, Lord, for my forgivenessThank You for Your lovingkindnessThank You for Your abundance of graceSufficient for me in my weaknessIn my weakness Your strength will be made perfect.Thank You for Your mercies which endure forever.I am accepted in the Beloved!There is now no more condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk after the spirit and not after the flesh. For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death.

The wanderer and the blunderer can and shall bounce back!

(This prayer is for every blunderer or backsliderYou can bounce back. Prayer this prayer meaningfully and God will answer your prayer and restore you.)

Are you constantly reminded of your failuresYou remind principalities and powers of their damnation and future.

God is for you and no one can be against you.If you have confessed your sins God has forgiven you and given you a clean slate, a clean bill of health.Accept God’s forgiveness. Stop believing the lieAnd rise to fulfil vision.

No weapon fashioned against you shall prosper.Every tongue that rises against you in judgment You shall show to be in the wrong.The blood of Jesus speaks better things for you:“Forgiven, washed, accepted in the beloved, loved with a great love, redeemed from the curse of the law.”It is not over for you.It is not over until Jesus says so.Therefore shake off every condemnation because of your blunders.Jesus says, ‘Go and feed My sheep, shepherd My flock, feed My lamb... and strengthen your brothers when you are encouraged and have bounced back. I have prayed for you and I am praying for you at the Father’s Right Hand as your Advocate. The Holy Spirit is with you as your Strengthener and Comforter, Teacher, Guide, Standby and IntercessorBlunderers can bounce back. Yes! Even you too can bounce back. Bounce Back!’

See related sermon: from Dross to Gold(Audio)

Jonah 1:1-3, -2:1-2,10, -3:1-10,1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying:2 "Arise and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause you to hear My words."3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and there he was, making something at the wheel.4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying:6 "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?" says the LORD. "Look, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!Jer.18:1-6

Jeanne Guyon (1648-1717) wrote powerfully about the need for an intimate relationship with Almighty God, including this: “He who has a pure heart will never cease to pray; and he who will be constant in prayer, shall know what it is to have a pure heart.”

PRAISE

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